City hall is calling the revisions one of the most progressive policies in Canada
The City of Burnaby in British Columbia has announced that revisions to its existing tenant assistance policy were approved in principle by city council earlier this week.
The revised policy provides new standards for tenants of purpose-built rental buildings of five units or more that require re-zoning as a result of redevelopment or renovation process.
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The policy would require applicants seeking rezoning to support tenants by assisting them in finding a new place to rent, if requested; providing them with rental top-up payments, if necessary, to help bridge the gap to a similar rental; assisting them with moving; and offering them the right to return to the new development at the same rent to a suite with the same number of bedrooms.
The revised policy applies to all new re-zonings as well as all re-zonings currently in stream at city hall.
Mayor Mike Hurley has called the revisions “one of the most progressive tenant assistance policies in the country” and said they will “make life more affordable for Burnaby residents, even as our city continues to grow.”
“Burnaby is a diverse city, and this will keep our communities that way,” said Hurley. “This policy delivers on a key recommendation from the mayor’s task force on community housing.”
